The benefits of ozonated water are well known in the art, as are processes for generating ozonated water. Municipal water companies have used ozone technology to treat large quantities of water for many years because of its effectiveness in purifying and conditioning water. Ozone technology has been found to treat water in various ways: by killing bacteria on contact faster than most other conventional treatments; by killing viruses on contact; by killing algae spores, fungus, mold and yeast spores; by removing excess iron, manganese, and sulfur by a process known as micro-flocculation, thus conditioning the water naturally without chemical additives; and by removing color and odor.
The use of ozonated water leaves no residue; increases plant growth and plant life (due to the high oxygen content in ozonated water); acts as a more effective cleaning agent to produce cleaner clothes; has a better flavor and odor than tap water; and vegetables treated with ozonated water are cleaner and experience a greater shelf-life.
Most known ozone treatment systems for residential use involve complex ozone generators and must be plumbed into the home's water supply system. Such systems are costly, require disruption of a home's water service for an extended period of time, and take a significant period of time to install. In addition, such systems are not mobile and cannot be removed from a home for use in another location without considerable expense to both remove the system and re-install the system. To use ozonated water from current ozonation systems for household tasks such as cleaning surfaces or foods, typically a user must transfer the water to a container such as a spray bottle or carafe. Because the level of ozonation decreases rapidly over time, the act of transferring the ozonated water decreases the overall cleaning effectiveness of the water.
There is a need for a system to produce ozonated water that is both inexpensive and easy to install (i.e., does not require a plumber or disruption of water service). There is a need for a system to produce ozonated water that is readily mobile and can be easily transported and used at multiple locations. There is a need for an ozonation system that ozonates water in a container ready for use, such as a spray bottle or carafe, thereby increasing the overall cleaning effectiveness of the ozonated water. There is a need for a countertop ozonation system that includes easily replaceable parts.
It is with these needs in mind that the present invention was developed.